


Better Than You

by EvelyneC138



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Accidental Bonding, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death, Cults, F/M, Lies, Light Angst, Murder, Religion, Slow Burn, i don't really know what i'm doing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-01-31 15:11:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18593830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvelyneC138/pseuds/EvelyneC138
Summary: Love is surprising, to say the least ♥ [This work is non-canon to "1000 Years"]





	1. Hello

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be honest; I have maybe 15% of an idea of where I want this to go ^^;

When David had come back to camp with Max, you could hardly believe them when the pair told everyone that the David you'd seen today was a phony. Not that his behaviour had been impeccable, but he really did look and sound just like David! It seemed his name was Daniel, and that this wasn't his first trip to Camp Campbell. Max absolutely insisted the guy was evil, and you had no reason to doubt that, given that he'd kidnapped and impersonated David. But as always, David wanted to see the good in everyone and everything!

So! Here you were, bringing food to your temporary prisoner. The sheriff said he'd come by at the end of the day, since there was some mischief in town he had to deal with first. It seemed a bit odd that he wouldn't rush over, but you assumed whatever was happening in town was just that important.

With a heavy sigh, and a tray full of mashed potatoes and orange juice, you knocked on the door to the bomb shelter. "Hey. I, uh.. brought you food..."

There was silence at first, then a bitter, "Fine."

You entered slowly, just out of caution. But Daniel was certainly tied up, his back facing the doorway. From here, it honestly looked like they'd left David tied up down here. You stepped closer until he spoke again.

"You don't have to be that scared, you know. It's not like I can go anywhere..."

His voice was deeper than David's, and definitely grumpier. You took a deep breath and briskly circled the chair so you could see his face. "Wow... Talk about uncanny valley."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Yes, we look very much alike. That was kind of the point of my invasion."

You frowned, placing the food tray on the floor between you. "You know, David was kind enough to ask the Quartermaster to make you something to eat, and then he asked me to come down to feed you. You could at least be a little thankful..."

"Oh yes, I'm soooo thankful that my captor, and would-be victim, takes pity on me..." He sighed. "... But thank you, I suppose. Just because he asked didn't mean you actually had to come all the way down here. For someone you don't even know."

"Well, this is probably no surprise, but David's pretty hard to say no to," you chuckled, kneeling down by Daniel's chair.

You scooped up some potatoes and held the spoon to his face. "Uh... Say 'ah', I guess?"

His turn to frown. "This is so demeaning... Treating me like a child."

"Well, I certainly can't untie you and let you feed yourself. David may have taken your dagger, but I'm sure you'd still find a way to best me."

Daniel sighed once more, then begrudgingly bit down on the spoon. He nearly gagged. "These are bland and.. crumbly?"

"I know," you sighed, offering a small smile, "but it's better than nothing?"

He nodded and continued eating bite after bite until the potatoes were gone. You then eyed the glass of juice and your mouth became a thin line. Feeding him the juice was... a little more complicated.

"Huh... I should've asked David for a juice box..." You weren't really sure what he'd been thinking, giving you a glass.

Daniel blinked once. Then twice. "... Well, those potatoes were too dry for me not to drink anything... I promise I won't bite..?"

You sighed yet again as you picked up the glass. You stood at his side and let his head tip back into your palm, while you carefully poured the juice into his mouth - just enough for small sips at a time.

He downed it faster than you thought he would - most likely to get it over with - but he seemed to sigh contentedly once it was done. "... Thank you, again."

"No problem," you mumbled awkwardly.

There was now an uncomfortable silence in the bomb shelter. You bent down to retrieve the tray, clutching both it and the glass to your chest. "Well, this has been... fun... I'm gonna head back up now."

You'd almost made it to the door before Daniel spoke. "I guess the next time that door opens, it'll be the sheriff, huh. .... It's a shame your face isn't the last one I'll see before I'm carted off to the slammer."

You felt your cheeks flush. Why in heaven's name was he flirting with you? As if... As if you'd let him go just cause he tried being a little sweet?

"W-Wh... Well, t-that's what you get for kidnapping people and stealing their identities..!"

You opened and shut the door behind you quickly, regretting that you'd let your voice waver. Well, it didn't matter. He was right, and you wouldn't see him again after today. You couldn't help feeling a little sorry for him, as the saying goes; If you can't do the time, don't do the crime! ... Right?


	2. It's the Little Things

You awoke the next morning to a phone call from the sheriff's office in town. Apparently their only method of transporting someone like Daniel was currently in the shop for repairs, and they stated that the bomb shelter was far more secure than simply moving him in a regular vehicle. You couldn't really blame them, since a small town wasn't really securely equipped with cult leaders in mind.

However, this meant that Daniel was now a captive resident of Camp Campbell until further notice.

"So... they honestly want us to just... keep him down there until they can bring in a secure vehicle?" Gwen asked, clearly unimpressed.

David sighed. "I know it's not ideal, but there's not much else we can do. The resident police units are all hunting down Mr. Campbell..."

You frowned, seeing the two of them so dejected. "Well... I guess I don't mind taking his meals down there."

"Are you sure?" David piped up. "We really should share the work..."

You smiled softly and picked up the small fruit bowl, juice box, and... cheese.. stick..? "I don't really mind. And I wasn't around when he was here before. It seems like he really rattled both of you the first time around."

Gwen shrugged and gathered her own breakfast. She had the morning activity with the campers, so you assumed she had to get ready.

"Well... If you're sure, then thank you." David smiled back. "Being around him does make me feel... unsettled, to say the least. It doesn't help that he's also... still dressed like me."

Right, that was a thing. You wondered if he stashed his regular clothes somewhere around the camp... and if he'd even tell you if he did so. You gave David one more smile before heading out of the mess hall and into the woods.

The path to the bomb shelter really was well hidden, which did strike you as quite peculiar. Shouldn't anyone be able to find it, in a time of crisis? You did manage to find your way back to the latch, and you made your way down carefully.

You meant to knock first, but you nearly dropped the tray, and in the process, barreled into the door with your shoulder, pushing it open.

"So, come to take me away?" Daniel spoke flatly, hunched in his chair.

Your heart sank oddly seeing him like this. Once again, you chalked it up to the fact that he looked like your friend, David... but you knew it wasn't him.

You cleared your throat and stepped toward Daniel slowly. "Actually... it's me again..!"

He snapped his head up and made an effort to look over his shoulder. "O-Oh. Well... this is a surprise."

"Y-Yup! Just brought you some breakfast..." Your voice trailed off as you realized that he'd been forced to sleep like that, if he'd even slept at all...

Daniel's eyes followed you as you stood before him for the second time. "... What's going on?"

You sighed. "Well... it seems the sheriff isn't able to come get you... So you're staying here.. until further notice."

His eyes widened, then he looked down. "I see... Well, that's great. I guess this place is basically a prison cell..."

"Save for a bed," you blurted out, immediately covering your mouth afterward.

"What?"

"I, uh... I was just thinking... that it must've sucked sleeping like that... last night..."

His mouth made an awkward frown, before he sighed and said, "Actually, I didn't sleep last night..."

"Oh... O-Of course not, who could sleep like that..."

Daniel eyed you suspiciously. "... You know, I don't need your _pity_. Becoming a cult leader isn't exactly the easiest thing to do - I've been in tight spots before."

You sighed again, before kneeling by his side. "I believe you there." You offered Daniel a small smile as you held a slice of apple to his mouth.

He rolled his eyes before taking a sharp bite, snapping the slice in half. He chewed with a displeased look on his face.

You sunk into yourself, looking down at the floor. You still felt sorry for him, and a part of you couldn't help thinking if there was a way to help him, even if just a little.

"... What made you want to become a cultist, Daniel?"

He swallowed and his smile genuinely grew. "Well, the world is what calls us 'cultists'. Just because my fellow enthusiasts and I simply wish to follow our religion in worshiping Xeemuug and all he stands for. Xeemuug chose us to do his bidding!"

There was a subtle chill in the air and you could only nod politely - and probably a little awkwardly - before offering Daniel the other half of the apple slice, which he happily accepted.

"I guess that's true. Villains are only villains to those that don't agree with them..."

He nodded eagerly at your words.

"B-But! I, personally, can't condone murder! Taking a life is still wrong, no matter why you're doing it..."

Daniel's smile died slowly on his face. "Hah, well, I can't expect everyone to understand Xeemuug's methods." He made a motion to shrug, then winced and hissed in pain.

"Are you okay?"

" **No** , I'm not okay." He snapped, causing you to flinch back. "I... Sorry, it's just the ropes. I have a feeling David didn't think I'd be here this long..."

You popped a grape in Daniel's mouth before standing behind him. You couldn't help gasping a little seeing how red his forearms had gotten.

"Can't blame me for at least trying to get free..." He chuckled harshly.

Your hands hovered over the ropes as something in your heart hurt terribly. You pondered for a good moment, and your silence must've unnerved Daniel.

"Uh... You still there, princess?"

The nickname shook you out of your daze more than anything. "Uh... Yeah... ... K, this is going to sound absolutely crazy. Probably. Definitely crazy. But... would you stay still if I untied you?"

...

... There was utter silence, and you were sure that your face was bright red in embarrassment. It was a stupid question, of course he'd try to escape. He had everything to gain from fleeing if you let him loose.

"... Why would you untie me?"

Your teeth worried your bottom lip, and you wrung your forearms - an old, nervous habit. "I just.. don't like seeing someone in physical discomfort, I guess... I don't want to let you go, but I don't think.. you deserve to be tied to the chair anymore... Like you said, this was supposed to be temporary."

Daniel was silent again, for what felt like ages. Then he mumbled, "I suppose..."

"You suppose?"

He sighed loudly. "I suppose I should at least thank you for volunteering to feed me... again. I doubt Gwen would've been so kind, and I don't want David down here... Though.. I mean, my ankles are still bound to the chair legs anyway. _Max's_ idea."

You looked down and wondered how you hadn't noticed the ropes at his feet before. But either way, that gave you a little more confidence in doing what you were about to do. You took the ropes between your fingers and pulled them apart carefully, not wanting to scrape up Daniel's arms any more than they had been.

In a moment, his arms were free and he slowly brought them down to his sides with a soft, pained groan. "Ugh... Definitely not a recommended method of stretching."

A soft chuckle escaped you before you could do anything about it, and Daniel certainly didn't miss it. He turned to look at you, smirking. "Well, isn't that a cute laugh, little princess."

You cleared your throat immediately, taking the rope and circling back to the front of the chair. "Wrists, please."

A flash of disappointment crossed Daniel's features. "Ah.. Of course, if the other two come down here, you wouldn't trust me not to try something, hm?"

"Uh..." You chuckled again, focusing on tying a good knot just over his wrists. "To be honest, I just don't want to get in absolute heck for untying you in the first place..."

To your mild surprise, Daniel chuckled this time. "Fair enough. Though to be perfectly honest, myself, I'll kinda miss having you feed me."

You felt your ears burn and you stood more abruptly than you intended. "Okay, seriously... Why the weird _flirting_?"

"Is _that_ what I'm doing?" Daniel's smirk widened. "I had no idea. I guess I'm just too charming."

You rolled your eyes, but still wore an amused smile. "Okay, fine, don't tell me why. But now you're definitely feeding yourself the rest of your food, and your juice box."

"Aww..." He pouted playfully before reluctantly picking up another few grapes and munching away.

Your hands came to rest on your hips and you gave Daniel a look over. "Oh, that's right. I actually wanted to ask if you'd hidden your regular clothes somewhere on camp?"

He gave you a quizzical eyebrow raise.

"It's weird coming down here and seeing 'David', if you know what I mean."

He swallowed and nodded. "Ah. Yeah, I don't really want to keep looking like him either. With my hands free, I can also remove these..." Daniel struggled for a bit, then produced two, green contact lenses from his eyes. "Sooo much better. This was another reason I couldn't sleep last night - would've dried my eyes right out."

You grimaced. "Yeah, okay, I'm glad I untied your hands for _that_ , at least. Dried up lenses stuck to your eyes is not something I ever want to see. Plus, we'd have to call a doctor for you at that point."

"Glad to know you care so much," Daniel shot you a wink and you involuntary flushed again.

"Did you hide them somewhere or not?"

He laughed. "Yeah, they're just at the edge of the camp's property line, not too far from the road, in a patch of bushes."

"Okay, I'll grab them and be back asap. For your comfort and mine." You stuck your tongue out at him before you stood and ran to the door. You paused with your hand on the handle, turning to look back at him. "You'd better still be here when I get back!"

Daniel laughed a little louder this time, and you smiled in return. "I promise I'll be here, princess."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a half-chapter? I dunno why I have trouble publishing things that look too long in my notes ^^; but the next bit will continue right where this left off!


	3. A Little Closer

True to his word, Daniel was still securely seated in his chair when you returned. It had been easy enough to find his clothes, though... "I think the camp mascot got into the box... There are rips all over the place."

Daniel grumbled a little. "Well, nothing I can do about that. I'd still prefer my own torn clothes over this ensemble."

You nodded and made to give him the box of clothes, but then quickly realized something. "Oh... I suppose you can't really.. get changed, while tied to the chair..."

"Haha, no, I most certainly can't," Daniel chuckled.

A frown dragged down your features. You probably should've thought this through a little more. You scratched awkwardly at the nape of your neck.

"I guess this boils down to how well you trust me," said Daniel, a light smirk on his lips.

You clutched the box to your stomach. "... You and I both know I shouldn't trust you... Having your own beliefs is one thing, but kidnapping and impersonating someone is just wrong."

He was quick to frown. "It's unfortunate you feel that way... History has shown many instances of someone doing the 'wrong' things for the right reasons, and sometimes, that's just what the world needs to improve."

"But... _children_ , Daniel? I can't condone the murder of children, that's just... pardon my language, but that's pretty fucked up."

Daniel was silent for a moment, thinking. "We're not.. _murdering_ them. Being cleansed and sacrificed to Xeemuug is a wonderful thing; You get to leave this toxic world behind!"

'Leaving behind the negatives of this world does sound inviting,' you thought. "But there should be a better way... It's not something they choose for themselves! I'm not one to judge someone for taking their own life - I know this world can be shitty. But that's a choice they make, not something you decide for them. And children have so much left to experience in this world!"

You noticed Daniel's eye gave a little twitch, and he looked down at his feet, as though unsure of how to respond. Eventually, he spoke, "You know... I've been a part of this organization for so long, and I never failed until I met David... It's been a while since anyone's told me what we're doing is wrong..."

Your eyebrows raised; you couldn't tell if Daniel was being genuine or not. Though, you really hoped he was.

After a moment, he looked up at you, his eyes carrying a bit of sadness. "If I promise not to harm children anymore... would you trust me? ... Enough to give me my clothes, at least?"

"I..." You looked over his face. You really couldn't tell if this was just an act, if he'd betray you at the drop of a hat... but if he was speaking from the heart, you wanted to give him a chance. "Okay, Daniel. If you sincerely promise..."

He nodded solemnly. And so you stepped forward, placing the box by his feet, and knelt down to untie his hands once more. When they were free, you looked up at him nervously, but he remained seated, even offering you a small smile. His ankles were next, and those knots had been done up tightly. You eventually worked through them and just like that, Daniel was, technically, a free man.

You hovered over him, not stepping more than two feet from the chair. If nothing else, you could at least tackle him if he bolted. 

"Thank you..." Daniel's smiled widened a little, and he stood slowly. Barely a second after he'd straightened his legs, his knees buckled and he fell forward.

You stepped in and caught him. He frantically grabbed your shoulders around your back, essentially hugging you. "You okay there..?"

He didn't answer right away, likely processing what just happened. "... Huh. Guess my legs were asleep... Should've wiggled my toes more."

That earned him a soft giggle from you as you carefully sat him back in the chair. "Okay, let's try this again..." You leaned forward and untied the yellow shirt from around his neck.

He seemed to stiffen up when you touched him, but he kept a passive smile on his face nonetheless. You gestured for him to remove the vest, which he did. 

"Arms up." 

Daniel looked at you, a little puzzled, but did as he was told. You lifted David's counselor shirt from his torso, and traded him his own white polo. While he buttoned up, you folded David's clothes neatly on the floor.

"All righty - can you get your pants off?"

This time, Daniel gave you a genuine look of surprise.

"What? It's the same as going to a swimming pool, no biggie."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Underwear doesn't bother you, but mild flirting does?"

"Wh-!" You couldn't help pouting a little. "Flirting is different! I-It's personal and directed _at_ me. Just seeing a guy in his briefs or boxers isn't a big deal..."

Daniel hesitated for a moment more before kicking off David's shoes and pulling off his socks and shorts. Unsurprisingly, even his briefs were stark white.

Once again, you traded his clothes for David's and added them to your folded pile.

"You are... a little strange, did you know that?" Daniel asked, smirking again.

"I've been told," you chuckled in response. "Now come on, get those pants up."

He couldn't hide a little sneer at being treated like a child once more, but he wasn't in any position to really complain. Daniel stood once more, and this time, you supported him, holding him steady at the shoulders. Once he'd fastened his belt, you sat him back down.

"... I guess... I'm supposed to tie you up again..." You anxiously fiddled with your hair while you spoke. You didn't really want to subject his legs to that again...

Daniel simply shrugged and sat back down, holding out his wrists like you were about to cuff him.

You sighed and grabbed the rope, tying up his wrists once more. When you were done, you stood and nervously said, "There, all done..!"

He gave you a quizzical look, then playfully kicked up his feet. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Hm? Nope, I don't think so..." You grabbed the rope that had once bound his ankles and tossed it to the far end of the room.

"... I see." Daniel eyed you a little suspiciously. "... You aren't worried about getting in trouble?"

You sighed again. "I'm sure if Gwen or David actually come down here, they'll have a few questions. But I'm not a judge, or a warden. As long as you're here, we can at least treat you like a human being."

He smirked a little. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," you mumbled. You looked him over and, even in his own clothes, you were still surprised at just how much he looked like David. The two could practically be twins!

"Soooo, how long are you planning on staring?" Daniel asked, pulling you from your daze. He stood abruptly and quickly closed the small gap between the two of you, making you yelp quietly in surprise.

"I-I-I wasn't..-!"

He cut you off by lifting his bound wrists above and over your head, resting his arms on your shoulders. "Yes, you were. Like what you see, princess?"

Again with the flirting! You pulled his arms off yourself and sat him back down, with surprisingly little resistance.

"Y-You... Just sit a-and stay here..! I'm gonna go back up before they wonder what the heck is taking me so long."

You rushed through the door and up the ladder in a flustered hurry, willing the pink in your cheeks to dim down before you reached the mess hall.

\- **[Daniel POV]** -

He couldn't help chuckling as you stormed off. You were fun to mess with, just a little. But truthfully, he hated being alone down here. Just as when he'd been alone in the hospital, the only activity he had to do was think - and at this point, Daniel hated thinking.

Because he could only think about whether or not he was making the right choices. He hated that anything had made him doubt the work he'd done in the name of Xeemuug and the ancient ones. He used to be proud of his accomplishments! But he'd been foiled twice in a row now, and couldn't help thinking of what he was doing wrong...

And then there was you. As much as he enjoyed your brief company, he also cursed himself. He was supposed to have forgotten about earthly desires and frivolous emotions. Yet seeing you made him want... more. Seeing you, listening to you, made him question his loyalty to Xeemuug - he hated that. But he couldn't bring himself to tell you to leave him alone, and even stranger still, he couldn't bring himself to leave...

What were you doing to him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Romance is in the air?? (This is probably the most self-indulgent thing I've written to date, whyyyy) This definitely won't have a goody-goody ending 3:)


	4. Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feelings? Ew, gross...

"_____, are you absolutely sure you still want to bring Daniel all his meals? It has to be a little exhausting, going all the way out into the woods twice a day..."

You shook your head gently. "I promise I'm okay, David. Besides, I'm still learning how to run activities and play by the book. I've still got notes to take about how you and Gwen run things, and I'm happy to help with lunch for the kids. It's really okay."

David gave you a gentle smile and pat you on the back. "Well, as long as you're sure. We're one, happy family at Camp Campbell, so don't you hesitate to tell me if something's wrong!"

Nodding, you waved politely as you left the mess hall.

_How can one person be SO happy all the damn time..._

When you'd reached the shelter, you were honestly happy to see Daniel. "Good morning..!"

"Well, it is now," he replied in a sing-song tone. Daniel had moved his chair up against the wall, and was now facing you when you entered the room. "It'd be even better if you were _here_ when I woke up, though..."

You instantly blushed, but kept most of your composure. "Haha, very funny. If you keep throwing lines like that, I might not bring your meals anymore..!"

Daniel gasped dramatically. "No, anything but that!"

You both chuckled as you set down his food and went to untie his hands.

"Aww... But it's more fun when you feed me..."

"I thought it was 'undignified'?" you stuck your tongue out at him.

He pouted in return. "Not if I'm asking. I mean, I haven't washed my hands after sleeping on a cold, concrete floor!"

You sighed. "Okay, I can go grab you some sanitizer or something, but you're feeding yourself! You're a grown man, after all."

Daniel retained his childish pout as you left the bomb shelter.

\---

How had it gotten so late? You had honestly intended to grab Daniel something to clean his hands with, but David got a hold of you and insisted you help out with the morning activity. Next thing, you were chasing down Nikki and Nurf, who had both angered a beehive.

Before you knew it, lunchtime had come and gone and it was getting into the late afternoon. You felt awful.

_I mean, he's a criminal who took the lives of children. He can wait for a dang towel..._

But he was also kind of sweet, and despite his obnoxious flirting, he did always brighten your day...

You shook your head vigorously. No. No no no. You were not attracted to Daniel. Nuh-uh. He was just... a weird David look-alike, which was honestly still weirding you out. ... Maybe Campbell had some hair bleach, or something...

The sun was just starting to set. You grabbed a warm towel, a juice box, and some freshly cooked fish from the mess hall, and then made your way back down to the bunker.

You forced the door open with your shoulder. "H-Hey! Sorry I disappeared. I, quite literally, got pulled away by David..."

Though you attempted to laugh at the awkward atmosphere, your smile instantly fell when you noticed Daniel's breakfast; untouched and exactly where you'd left it. The fruit was now brown and smelled a little off.

"You... didn't eat?"

You looked up at Daniel and found him sulking in his chair. His hands were still bound and sitting on his lap, and his forlorn gaze was focused on the corner of the room.

"Daniel, I'm so sorry. I really didn't mean to just up and leave... I came back as quickly as I could..."

He seemed determined to stay sullen, but Daniel's stomach decided that now was the perfect time to growl _loudly_. After all, he hadn't eaten all day.

You pushed the old breakfast tray aside and placed his dinner beside you. You knelt in front of the chair and untied his wrists. Daniel made a sound that you could only interpret as annoyance.

"Don't worry," you assured him, offering a kind smile and the warm towel. "I'll feed you, I promise. S'the least I can do after ditching you..."

He finally turned to face you, accepted the towel, and sighed. "Sorry. I know it's kind of childish of me to sulk... I'm... glad you came back, at least."

Your smile grew a little and you cut off a piece of fish, offering him the fork. "I can't believe you didn't eat your breakfast though..."

Daniel munched slowly, still looking kinda down. "Well, I actually don't really have a concept of time down here. I wake up, and... well, you coming down here is really the only thing that tells me the time..."

"Oh..." You couldn't help frowning. It dawned on you just how secluded Daniel was. If it wasn't for you, there would be literally nothing to let him know what was going on outside. You were sure that even prison cells had windows.

"So... again, thank you. You don't have to keep coming down here, let alone as regularly as you do..."

You offered him another bite. "... I like coming down here though."

Daniel choked, and you quickly offered him the juice box. "Y-You do?"

 _Whoops, was that my outside voice?_ "Uh.. y-yeah, I do. I mean, it's not like I wanted to work at Camp Campbell. It's just a summer job to make some extra cash... I'm not a big fan of kids, so I don't mind skipping out on morning activity work to come down here."

He swallowed, then leaned forward in his chair. So much so that your foreheads almost touched. "Is that the only reason you like coming to see me?"

Indignantly, you shoved another bite of fish in his mouth and stole a bite for yourself. "Maybe it is. Why? Were you hoping for another answer?"

"I like seeing you."

Your turn to cough, and you swiped the juice box to wash it down.

"I do. ... Believe it or not, I don't just nap or space out while I'm down here. All I can do is think... You're the first person to make me wonder if I'm doing the right thing. You also make me drop my guard without realizing it... I feel like you don't expect anything of me. I don't think you even expect me to still be here every morning..."

You shared a quiet laugh and admitted, "I don't, to be honest. I always wonder if you'll be gone - that you'll manage to pick the lock or dig your way out somehow, heh..."

There was a moment of silence before you moved to prepare another forkful of fish. When you turned back to offer it to Daniel, you found his face close to yours again. Too close.

"O-Okay... I know you like to joke and flirt all the time, but this fish is getting cold--"

"Why do you think I'm joking?"

Your cheeks burned a little. "B-Because... there's no way you'd like me for real. I figured you were just tryna get on my good side so I'd be nice in return..." _Isn't that exactly what happened though?_

"Well... if I'm honest, yes. That was my original intention," Daniel frowned awkwardly, "but--"

"No no, no 'but's." You placed the plate back down and stood suddenly, "Y-You can't tell me you actually like me... We've known each other for... what, 4 days? You don't know anything about me..."

Daniel stood placed a soft hand on your arm. "I know you're kind, and it's not just a front. You have nothing to gain from lying to me."

"Is kindness enough to have feelings for someone?" That probably came out harsher than you intended, and you started worrying your bottom lip. "Maybe... Maybe I'm just being nice so you'll decide you don't want to be a cultist anymore."

It was silent again, uncomfortably so.

"... Maybe I don't."

"Pardon?"

Daniel took a step closer, your bodies only inches apart. "It used to be everything I thought about. Even when I was in rough spots before, I constantly thought about how I'd escape and plan our next venture. It's always been... my whole life."

His expression was something you couldn't quite read. Something between sad and happy.

"But you changed that. I haven't been thinking about how to get out of here, even though you've made it so easy." Daniel held up his untied hands. "So maybe... I could change..."

You stood there, a little dumbfounded. You looked at his growing, genuine smile, and something in your gut hurt. Without saying anything, you turned toward the door.

"_____? Where are you going?"

"Away from you." You spat, clinging to your arms. "I don't want to be down here right now..."

Daniel's hurt expression broke your heart, and you hated that it did so.

"But..." He scowled a little. "I thought you'd be happy to hear that I want to change..."

"Of course I'm happy!" You spoke with your back still facing him. "That's... That's what makes me scared."

"Scared?"

You turned on your heel and you could feel angry tears pricking your eyes. "Yes! You are a cultist, Daniel. You've murdered children, made plans to murder _more children_ , kidnapped David - and possibly tons of other things that I don't know about and don't _want_ to know about!"

Daniel took a step toward you, and you took a step back.

"I don't... _want_ you to like me! I don't want to like _you_! You've done some awful things, and I know that. No matter how charming or sweet you are in this bunker, the world outside knows the truth..."

You cracked, and your tears flowed freely down your cheeks. You held your arms tightly, as though you needed to hold yourself together.

This time, when Daniel stepped forward, you didn't back away. He closed the gap between you and tentatively brought his hands to yours. "... Are you afraid that I'll hurt you?"

You nodded. "You have every reason to lie to me, Daniel. Say whatever you think you need to say so I'll trust you, and let you go. So I'll cause a distraction or something for you to run--"

In one swift motion, Daniel tilted your chin up and kissed you, very effectively shutting you up. You kissed him back and your tears subsided. Your hands slowly let go of your arms, opting for Daniel's shirt instead.

When he pulled away, his expression was rather stoic. "So I've learned... I hate seeing you cry." He gently cupped your cheeks and wiped your tears with his thumbs.

You just sniffled, absolutely sure that you looked awful.

"... If I served my time, would you forgive me?"

A sharp chuckle came out more like a scoff. "No, that's just another problem... Your time in jail would probably be a few years, at least..."

"Well... unfortunately, we can't stay in this bunker forever. While it is quite roomy, the sleeping accommodations are honestly quite dreadful. I don't recommend it."

That made you giggle a bit, which earned you a soft smile from Daniel. "... We're in quite a pickle, I guess."

You crossed the room and retrieved the warm cloth you'd brought him, using it on your face. He followed you, sitting back down in his chair and grabbing the rest of his dinner.

"Would you be okay.. if I went back up?" you asked quietly. "I... I gotta think about things..."

Daniel nodded. "That's fair... Sorry to spring that on you."

You shrugged. "It would've probably come up eventually... I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay."

You left the towel with him so he could wipe up after dinner, and you made a mental note to bring a new one in the morning. You gave Daniel one last smile before heading out and closing the door behind you.

As the cool evening air brushed your face, it dawned on you that you had, just now, very calmly _kissed Daniel_... You were suddenly not so calm. Your cheeks were definitely bright red and you hoped no one would see you and ask why. Maybe you could lie and say you were coming down with something...

Your fingertips brushed your lips and you felt.. an uneasy happiness bubbling inside you. Was it okay for you to have feelings for Daniel? You'd said it yourself, all the horrible things he'd done... Could someone like that really change? Murderers you'd seen on the news were eventually let out into the world again... If someone really wanted to turn a new leaf, shouldn't they have that chance?

You had just barely reached the counselors' cabin when a large, black van sped by along the path. David was just exiting the cabin as you froze on the walkway.

"Oh, _____! I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that the sheriff has arrived! Gwen is leading them down to the bomb shelter as we speak!"

Your face paled and your throat suddenly felt dry. You weren't worried that they'd find him completely unbound and practically free. You weren't worried that they'd reprimand you for carelessness, nor were you worried that you'd lose this job.

But you didn't want them to take Daniel away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I finally have MORE of an idea of how this is gonna end... so the progression in the story probably feels a little weird now ^^;
> 
> I also got an idea for an entirely DIFFERENT Daniel/Reader story that will most certainly be nsfw... Thank you, 1AM brain~


	5. Stay With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You knew this was inevitable. That doesn't mean it won't hurt.

**\- [Daniel POV] -**

Daniel sat in his chair, alone in the quiet bunker. His own heartbeat was the only sound, pounding away in his ears. When was the last time he'd been so nervous? ... He felt a little silly. He could come up with schemes to cleanse people, no matter their age or occupation, and he had executed those plans to perfection. But even though he'd brought up the courage to kiss you, there was still this... uneasy feeling fizzling inside him. Is this what people meant when they said they had "butterflies in their stomachs"?

He rested his head against the wall, the cold touch calming his thoughts a little. He was both excited and anxious to see you tomorrow... But probably more excited, he thought. Hey - maybe he'd feed _you_ breakfast for a change..!"

His thoughts were interrupted, however, by a sturdy knock against the door. Your delicate hands could never make that sound. He quickly shuffled his chair away from the wall and placed his hands behind his back, mimicking how David had originally left him.

The door opened and two guards, all dressed in black, stepped through. Gwen followed shortly behind them. "All right, you psycho, it's finally time to get you out of here."

Daniel sneered at them all. "It really is about time. I was starting to wonder if I'd just be living here from now on."

"Haha, very funny, wise guy." Gwen gestured for one of the guards to approach him. "Untie him and let's get the fuck outta here."

The guard took heavy steps across the room, knelt in front of Daniel, and then paused. He foolishly turned his head back to Gwen. "Uh... He's not tied up."

On queue, Daniel headbutt the guard, sending him to the floor. He stood and revealed his freed hands before grabbing his chair and swinging it at the second guard, quite effectively knocking him out.

"What the fuck??" Gwen shouted, reaching for her phone.

Daniel grabbed the dinner tray you'd left him. "Oh, no you don't!" He flung it at Gwen, knocking her phone from her hands and onto the ground. Then he rushed past her, shoving her into the wall on his way out.

He had to run.

\--- **[Reader]** \---

You were gripping your arms, your nails practically digging into your skin. You wished you'd had more notice, you could've at least tried to come up with a reason why Daniel had his clothes back, and why he wasn't tied up...

"H-Hey.. David? I--"

"DAVID!!" Gwen shouted from the woods, alerting you both.

"Gwen? What's wrong? Where are the guards? .. Where's Daniel?" David asked, his voice growing increasingly panicked.

"He's _gone._ He wasn't tied up when we got to the bomb shelter, and he knocked out both of the guards..." Gwen's pace slowed, and she realized what you'd been dreading.

She pushed past David and eyed you with disdain. "_____, why did Daniel have his own clothes on?"

David's gaze turned to you and he offered you a quivering smile. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation, right?"

"I... I-It was getting weird... constantly going down there and seeing 'David' tied to a chair... so I asked Daniel where he left his own clothes and got them for him..."

"And you also _untied_ him so he could get dressed?"

"Well, he certainly couldn't change while tied to the chair," you replied flatly, "b-but I tied up his hands again afterward, I swear!"

David placed a hand on your shoulder. "It's okay, _____, I believe you. I probably would've done the same thing if you hadn't been here."

"That's fucking stupid!"

"Gwen! Language..!"

"Fuck fucking language!" Gwen screamed. "A psychotic child murderer is _loose_ somewhere on the campgrounds! I'm grabbing QM and Campbell, and we are going to find Daniel, and I will drive that armored car _myself_ if I have to!"

You were a little taken aback. You hadn't expected Gwen to get so fired up about this, especially when, according to David, she'd been absent the first time Daniel tried poisoning the kids.

"Gwen, let's just calm down. I agree that you have the right mindset for this, but there's no need to lose our heads just yet."

"David," she spoke grimly, "that fucking weirdo broke my phone, and I am _not_ doing anymore paperwork for missing or dead campers."

Ah. That was more like Gwen.

You watched her stomp off angrily to the Quartermaster store and you were still frozen in place. Your nails were definitely starting to leave abrasions on your arms.

"_____? What's the matter?"

You looked up at David and the shift in your gaze made you realize you were crying. You hurriedly wiped your face and sniffled.

"Hey... It's not your fault, okay? Daniel.. most likely broke through the restraints after your kind gesture, which is very unfortunate. We're gonna find him and send him to jail, and then I'll make a spot for you in our next knot-tying class. How's that sound?"

You tried to smile. "That sounds good, David... I think I'm just gonna... go lay down in my cabin for now, though.. i-if that's okay..?"

"Of course," he pat your shoulder gently. "Don't worry about things out here. We caught him once, and we'll catch him again!"

You nodded and waved goodbye as you walked slowly down the path. Once David was out of earshot, your tears returned in full force. You knew they weren't going to find Daniel. Of course he'd run, he had no choice. Even though he'd suggested it, you never really expected him to serve jail time - nor did you want him to.

You entered the cabin and sat on your bed, hugging your knees and crying into your arms. You knew this could never have worked. You knew you never should've fallen for Daniel in the first place. You'd said it yourself; he was a criminal, he'd murdered people, and who knows what else. So what if he was the first person in your life to accept you and your quirks - the first person to have faith in you and trust you, even though you barely knew each other.

... Really, you supposed you were saddest about the fact that, despite what he'd said, he left you. The only person who had ever really been open with you and whom you felt comfortable with... Of course he'd left. A part of you knew he was probably still lying about everything, to make you trust him... That made it hurt worse.

You wiped your tears on your sleeves and sighed. It's wasn't as though you were special - almost every young adult these days has trust issues. It shouldn't surprise you that Daniel would be skilled at smooth-talking and charming his way out of sticky situations. You were growing increasingly disappointed in yourself for falling for any of it.

You were about to head back out, maybe at least help them "look" for Daniel before calling it a night. But a knock on your window stopped you. You paused at the door, wondering if it'd been the wind - maybe a stray branch against the glass. But a second knock came, and in the clear rhythm of "Shave and a Haircut".

With mild caution, you returned to your bed and opened the window.

"Hey there, princess," Daniel whispered. He had twigs and leaves in his still-auburn hair.

You helped him clamber through the window, an annoyed frown on your face all the while. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, they came for me," he replied. "I figured if you weren't at your cabin, that would mean you got in trouble for letting me go..."

He was worried about you, when there were authorities looking for him? ... You'd be lying if that didn't warm your heart. Just a little.

"Are you mad that I ran?" Daniel asked you, his voice soft.

Your nails scratched at your arms again. "Well... yeah, a little. I don't want you to go to jail, but..."

He gently pulled your hands into his own and placed a gentle kiss to your shoulder. "But..?"

You blushed at his gesture, but couldn't bring yourself to pull your hands away. "... I kinda figured you'd just leave..."

Daniel's expression reflected the bit of heartbreak you'd just caused. ".. Well, I suppose that's a fair thought. I couldn't expect you to trust me completely..."

"I'm.. sorry... It's not like I don't want to... In fact, I _do_ want to..."

He tightened his grip on your hands, just a little - an act of sincerity. "I promise I'll do whatever you want me to, whatever it takes to prove that I won't lie to you... .... I can't guarantee that I'm going to quit all my cult activities - that's probably going to be quite difficult. Like breaking a bad habit..."

You sighed. "No, I couldn't ask that. But I would ask that you don't kill anyone anymore... There has to be something else you could do?"

Daniel said that he could, in theory, just work on the rituals meant to feed Xeemuug and his legion. It would require him to kill animals, though, if you were okay with that? You said you'd have to help select the animals - no babies. He agreed that was fair.

"So... what do we do now..?"

He thought for a moment, then pressed his forehead against yours. "Would you run away with me?"

Admittedly, you were less off-put by the idea than you probably should've been. But you looked around you at your practically empty cabin. You'd never had a lot of material possessions to begin with, so you weren't too troubled leaving behind the portrait Dolph had made you out of macaroni.

"... I think I could do that."

Daniel beamed, picking you up in a big bear hug. "It'll work out, I promise."

As Daniel placed you back on your own two feet, you could feel him shaking a little. "M-Maybe I'll get a job at a butcher's shop. It'd make a good cover for my work, too... Our organization handles living expenses, s-so you can probably work wherever you'd like, regardless of pay--"

You cut him off with a loud yawn, with far less grace than you would've liked.

"Oh... O-Of course, I suppose you're pretty tired." Daniel gently guided you backward until you felt the mattress against your legs. You sat and yawned again. "I'll let you sleep. We can leave at the crack of dawn...."

"No..." you shook your head sleepily. "Midnight is better... David wakes up as soon as the sun breaks the horizon."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Of course he does. Okay, midnight it is."

He turned to climb back through the window. But you tugged at the edge of his shirt. "Where are you gonna sleep? Quartermaster is gonna be looking for you in the woods all night."

"I'll... Hmm... Maybe I'll head back to the bomb shelter! I doubt they'll think to look there, since they think I'm trying to escape asap."

You shook your head again. "Aren't those two guards still down there? Gwen said you knocked them out..."

"Oh... right." Daniel laughed awkwardly. "... I... could sleep on the floor?"

You frowned. Absolutely not. After nearly a week on a concrete floor, you supposed wood was some kind of upgrade. But it was still no place that anyone should sleep.

You stood up and grabbed Daniel by the shoulders, turning him around. You quickly shimmied out of your shoes, camp counselor shirt, shorts, socks, and threw on your pajamas. When you sat back on your bed, you turned off the light, shuffled toward the wall and pat the space beside you.

At the sound, Daniel turned to face you and his cheeks were ever so slightly pink. "A-Are you sure? I'm fine with the floor, honest! It can't be worse than the concrete--"

"Come sleep with me, Daniel."

His face turned even pinker, but he slowly nodded. He untied his shoes and placed his socks inside them before carefully crawling into bed next to you.

You were certain that your face wasn't without its own red hue, but you didn't mind. The small single mattress forced you to lay mere inches apart, and you could tell that Daniel was trying his best to make himself smaller. You couldn't help giggling quietly. "After all that shameless flirting, you're too shy to cuddle up?"

Daniel huffed a little. "I... Admittedly, I've certainly used words to persuade others to assist in my escapades. But I've... never actually _liked_ someone..."

_How adorable._ You took the initiative and shuffled closer to him, sliding one leg over his and letting your hands rest on his chest. "My bed is pretty small. It'll be comfier if we're close..."

You weren't quite sure where this confidence was coming from. Maybe it was partially thanks to your sleepy stupor, but... you'd never seen Daniel carry himself anyway but proud, confident, and more than a little snarky. Seeing him so nervous made you want to hold him...

He didn't push away from you. Reluctantly, he even slid one arm over your shoulder. He was warm, you felt oddly peaceful. This was probably the most comfortable you'd been since you'd started working here.

You nuzzled your nose against his neck, planting a soft kiss just above his clavicle, and you felt him shudder. "I won't bite, I promise."

Daniel chuckled. "Now who's the flirty one?"

"It's easy to flirt with a guy I like..." You pulled yourself upward so your lips could reach his. 

His kisses were gentle at first, but the more you pressed yourself against him, the more his confidence grew. Soon, his kisses were passionate and deep, and Daniel's hands had traveled to your waist.

You, yourself, had one hand nestled in Daniel's hair, while the other had begun fiddling with the buttons of his polo shirt. You broke the kiss for air and locked eyes with him. His pupils were wide, and you knew it wasn't just because of the dark. Cautiously, you raised your leg up between his and found a steadily growing erection.

"H-Hey..." Daniel laughed softly, "I... don't have any--"

Suddenly, there was a knock at your door, and the two of you froze.

"_____?" It was Gwen. "I know David said you were turning in early... I just wanted to apologize for earlier... I don't blame you, or anything. You didn't know Daniel would break free."

You frowned at Daniel and hurriedly threw off the covers. You both shivered at the sudden rush of cool air, but there were more pressing matters. You helped him get his shoes back on and tried to get your own back on. Tried. Unfortunately, you tripped over your own feet and fell back against your dresser, knocking down your empty photo frames in the process.

At the loud, clattering noise, Gwen opened the cabin door and turned the light on. "Hey, are you okay--" Her eyes widened when she saw Daniel standing behind you.

Well, fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :'D Sorry for those of you who are waiting for smut! SO sorry! I'm not entirely sure there will actually be any for this particular story, but we'll see! Hopefully the ending is too upsetting - I promise I'm writing a different Daniel story soon!


End file.
